The New York Times recently posted a debate about the importance of social media. Keith Hampton, a professor of communications at Rutgers, made the following point in his post:

“Only a small number of social media are used by a majority of Americans (i.e., Facebook), but many others have obtained a critical mass with niche populations. The biggest threat to discontinuance does not rest with the possibility that social media are a fad, but with their proprietary nature. The failure of a single telephone company does not undermine the value of the telephone. However, because social media are both brands and channels of communication, a significant strategic or technological failure is the most likely impetus to mass abandonment.”

Social media is not a fad. It will, like telephone networks, reach critical mass, and I guess, based on his analysis, stay on that plateau until the next big thing. I guess at critical mass, social media becomes a utility, like its traditional media kin …. at least until the next Facebook.

The New York Times has a piece on the downside of broadband adoption. It seems like low-income kids enjoy playing video games and hob knobbing on social media sites like Facebook. (No wonder Zuckerberg wants to target 13 year olds.)

As quoted in The New York Times, “Despite the educational potential of computers, the reality is that their use for education or meaningful content creation is minuscule compared to their use for pure entertainment,” said Vicky Rideout, author of the decade-long Kaiser study. “Instead of closing the achievement gap, they’re widening the time-wasting gap.” In short, the time-waste gap is the new digital divide.

The irony of it is that the Federal Communications Commission wants to spend $200 million to teach households how to put technology to productive use. The FCC will be teaching households how to be productive? Really?

Cynicism aside, turning the computer at home into true capital stock by teaching young people how to use it could be a boon to employers looking for young employees with keystroke and data entry skills. Also, the efforts may help engender the next self-taught programmer who comes up with the next big idea in tech, whether it’s a new app or a new type of media company.

Microsoft and Best Buy are helping to fund some similar digital literacy initiatives so this may be a good investment in the long term for American labor. What the markets need, however, is for young people to put any digital literacy they garner to productive use.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Facebook is contemplating technology that would allow children under the age of thirteen to use the social networking site. As if this company doesn’t have enough on its political plate.

Regulators are concerned that investment banks may have shared information about Facebook’s ability to adapt to a mobile app world or make money from advertisements. Now the social networking giant with 900 million users is literally giving Congress an invitation to drag Mark Zuckerberg on to Capitol Hill to have a sit down.

Somehow I don’t see members of Congress wanting to wear hoodies should such an invite be issued.

Facebook for kids under 13 is troubling. As a father I would prefer Facebook only grant access to people over the age of 35, but that’s a stretch. The privacy infringements and cyber bullying activities should have been the first thing that popped up on Zuckerberg and Cos. Radar.

They must think the additional ad revenue from targeting kids will be well worth it. Let’s face it; the only way that company is going to make money is to get more subscribers hooked and the kid market appears ripe for the taking.

Oh well. I already know what my ten-year old is going to ask, so here is the answer: Hell no.

Seems like presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee Willard M. Romney has a ways to go to catch up with incumbent Barack H. Obama in terms of a social media presence, according to Investors.com. Mr. Romney allegedly has 251,000 followers on the micro-blog platform, Twitter. On the social networking behemoth, Facebook, Mr. Romney has 1.6 million “friends”.

Mr. Obama is doing better on both platforms. Mr. Obama has allegedly 14.6 million disciples on Twitter while his Facebook acquaintances number approximately 26 million.

It’s not surprising that Mr. Obama would have a commanding lead in the social media world. He has shown his preference for connectivity via technology ever since entering the White House and making arrangements for a special Blackberry that would allow him to stay connected while keeping people with ill will at bay.

Also given Mr. Obama’s relative youth and being a member of a minority demographic that makes disproportionate use of cellphones and Twitter, not only should we find Mr. Obama to be a proponent of social media use, but we should also expect him to exploit it to its fullest.

It’s not to say that Mittens can’t catch up. At this juncture it’s about how you leverage those social media resources versus how many Twitter followers are making you feel like Jesus.

I don’t think we are at the point yet where on your first date someone pops that question, but we may be getting their sooner than you think. Marketers are using Klout scores to identify social media users that are passionate advocates for services and products. Who better to push Starbucks coffee than a friend in your social network that actually drinks the stuff versus some sexy model actress that we know probably drinks mostly water, Propel, and Crystal Light (yuck).

I’m usually harping broadband as a means for production, but broadband can also provide access to how social media is being leveraged by the Madison Avenue side of American business. Broadband can make you an influencer and provide you access to a lot of perks from marketers.

It’s the 21st century. Let’s get with the program. And if you must know, my kind of lady has a Klout score no lower than 40.